ISLAMABAD: The Foreign Office (FO) has rejected the Indian Defence Minister’s irresponsible statement regarding Gilgit Baltistan (G-B), saying that India has no locus standi whatsoever on the issue — legal, moral or historical.
The FO in a statement issued today said, “Gratuitous repetition of false claims by RSS-BJP leaders for political point-scoring can neither change facts nor can they draw attention away from the reprehensible human rights violations being perpetrated against the Kashmiri people by Indian occupation forces in the valley,”
Pakistan’s principled position on the Jammu and Kashmir dispute remains firmly anchored in the relevant United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions, it said.
The FO further said, “Administrative, political and economic reforms are a long-standing demand of the people of the region. The envisaged provisional reforms reflect the aspirations of the indigenous populace of GB.”
Pakistan also called upon India to immediately end its illegal and forcible occupation of parts of Jammu and Kashmir.
“India must comply with its international obligations by allowing the Kashmiris to exercise their inalienable right to self-determination through a free and impartial plebiscite under the auspices of the United Nations as enshrined in the relevant UNSC resolutions,” the statement added.
Earlier, the Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had said that GB was an “integral part of India” and had lashed out at PM Imran Khan’s announcement regarding granting the region the status of a province.
According to the Hindustan Times, “Pakistan has illegally occupied GB. Pakistan is going to make it a province now. Our government has clarified that GB, along with entire Pakistan occupied Kashmir, is an integral part of India,” Singh had said.
The Indian minister remarks came after Prime Minister Imran Khan had announced to give Gilgit-Baltistan a provisional provincial status in the lead up to the elections to its legislative assemblies.
Prime Minister made the announcement, during a visit to the region to attend celebrations for its 73rd Independence Day. The Indian MEA had issued a statement in response, saying that it rejects the bringing of material changes to the territory.
